Interns

My internship ended yesterday. In all, I'm very grateful for the experience. The exposure to real life corporate practice was insightful as it's just so different from everything that I learnt in law school. I also met some very fabulous people. :) my mentor and kw were extremely warm and patient with me. they took valuable time out from their hectic schedules just to talk to me every day- abt practice, the nature of the work, school and other light-hearted things like football and movies (when they took me out for lunch). it's really nice to know that lawyers are normal people afterall, despite looking so serious and stressed most of the time. then there was the secretary sitting next to me who became my friend. initially, like the rest, all she said was "hi" on my 1st day and then it was silence after that. the ice broke when i offered her cut fruits every morning. hahaha.. she told me she had some gastric prob and then from there, the conversation branched out into multi-faceted topics over the days, ranging from the anwar scandal, good dinner places, wakeboarding, life in a law firm, her near-death encounter with the 2006 tsunami etc. when she was on MC due to a leg problem on tuesday, i was really lonely. the next day, it was the end of my internship and i came back from lunch to see a packet of dried cranberries with a note on it on my workstation. i was so touched at her small gesture of kindness. it meant alot to me, because she remembered that it was my last day and got me something despite her walking difficulties and nausea. i asked her whether she got me the cranberries because she saw me eating fruits every morning and she said yes, she wanted to get cake initially but didn't know whether i'd like it cos she nv saw me eating cake in the office. hahaha.. i really liked the NUS interns too. there were only 3 of us at the new office, which i liked very much over the main one.

anyway, i'm thankful for the experience and for the people i met. i'm even more undecided abt corporate work now cos the hours are insane and they don't get better, but i have a few more years to make a decision. can u guys imagine me as a barrister, fighting in court???? wahahah...

another thing tt i gained through my internship was the stark realisation of the bounds that i've made in my confidence and perspective. and i credit the overseas experience for it. :) thanks esp. to cheh and mark for encouraging me to take that first leap of faith into a whole new world. and to my parents for supporting me. and of course, to God, provider of all things good. i think i've finally broken out of the herd mentality so firmly entrenched in the entire system and culture here. :) ask me personally if u wanna hear more!


at the cusp of adulthood and working life.



fellow interns who showed me around NUS law school. we were there because i had to borrow a book for a partner haha.

Welcome to the working world!

I'm interning now at a law firm. I really want to praise God and thank Him for His favour at my workplace. :) I don't wanna write in-depth abt my experience yet because I just got back home, am so tired and there's still work tmr. Gotta get up at 7am everyday! Ephraim told me tt adults who sleep less than 8 hours, as well as sleep more than 9 hours a day have shorter life-spans, ie they die faster. !!! Met up with him and Xin yesterday and I really enjoyed it. :) I love my friends- it has been wonderful catching up with all of u! :)

Today was an exception cos I went straight to the NUS law faculty to do some research for a partner, along with the other 2 NUS law interns! They showed me around (thanks guys) and it's very pleasant! Alot of greenery.

So many changes in my life.. How fast can I adapt? I've settled in pretty well into my new house I guess. Other than that, who knows how long it'll take?

homecoming

i haven't been blogging since i got back to singapore.. the long hiatus is due to the fact that i've been incredibly busy- overcoming jet lag, meeting people or sleeping in. haha. i really enjoyed the YA retreat! even though justina and i were chatting as we leisurely drifted on the reservoir instead of vigorously kayaking :) how can, when the boys kept splashing water at us!! haha
anyway, im so glad to be with my church friends again- joyful people who remember and genuinely care for me. i'm happy that i got to know some of the girls better during the YA retreat :)

it's wonderful to be home. the past few weeks abroad have been extremely debilitating. to everyone who has been asking, that explains why i've lost SO MUCH weight. haha.. don't worry, the weight loss is unintentional, i haven't been on a diet etc. through this period of high stress, sadness and suffering, i've learnt so much. i feel that i've seriously aged ALOT.

yet empowering at the same time, especially in Spain, where i played tour guide to my dad and sis despite never having been there before. :) notts was of course, home turf so bringing them around was no problem. london too, cos i'd been there before. this really is a huge personal development for me, because i'm renowned for my poor sense of direction, i always get lost!!! yes, england-spain 2008 gave me a much-needed boost in self-confidence, navigational and leadership skills. thank you daddy for giving me this opportunity, as well as for being so good natured and accomodating during the entire trip. and to my sister, for all the laughter, shopping and fun times! and of course, thank you God for all your blessings towards myself and my family.

Cambridge

Punting!! Our boat was named "Bunny". :)
Something unique to Oxford and Cambridge, so I definitely had to try it. I paid 2 pounds because I was in a group of 6. However, I would have paid more to get a guide who tells you the histories of the various riverside colleges while he rows the boat. I felt quite bad/nauseated after punting because a middle aged Chinese man was "rowing" our boat with the completely wrong technique, plus he wasn't strong enough so our boat went bump every 5 seconds, either against the banks or other boats. at least he always warned us" yao chuang le!!". thanks to the constant bumps, it was a very long journey, which took around 2 hours!! his young daughter was in our boat too and i was getting very annoyed with her because she kept whining to paddle the boat and laughed everytime the paddle splashed water all over my legs. and then she threw a tantrum because she couldn't see the ducks in the river anymore. -_-

at the start of the journey i went crazy taking photos, especially of the boats and the river.
after a while, i decided to stop and just sit back and relax, ignoring the periodic bangs of "Bunny" and the girl's behaviour and imagined myself studying in Cambridge.... every morning, when i rise, i look out of the window to see the peaceful river flowing beneath the arched bridges that Elizabeth the Virgin Queen herself glided through on a boat. i am surrounded by grand, intricate architecture which have stood for centuries and i walk through the very halls that brilliant young idealists strolled through, unknowing, perhaps, that they would in time become great men who will one day shape history. i lie on "The Banks", beneath the shade that the willow tree provides, its umbrella-like canopy fluttering in the gentle breeze. i read, i think, i become refined in all aspects.

what a supremely lovely and awe-inspiring environment to be in. one tour guide remarked "how do students here study, it's soo romantic!". it's the very picture of the romanticised overseas college life that i used to fantasise about during A level literature and history, when we watched classic English films and read novels set in Oxbridge like "Decline and Fall".

of course, notts is beautiful too and is widely held as one of the most attractive campuses in the country. but i'm disillutioned with student life here, as well as the citizens of nottingham in general. just go to the city centre at any time of the day, or simply stay in on a friday/weekend night and be prepared to throw off any preconceived notions of england as cultured and refined. then again, this is probably true of other uk cities too.

and a mighty piece of bad news: I LOST MY PHONE IN CAMBRIDGE.
sighhhhhhhh and i'm really not feeling well- stomach and head, the usual problem areas are feeling weird. it seems as though i have a 101 things to do. my room's still in a mess because of the packing!!! :(
anyway, i have a new number cos i've an extra SIM card so will email family and close friends.

Cambridge

Clockwise from top left: The bridge of sighs, St. John's College, new friends made outside King's College, unsecured bicycles outside King's College.


Cambridge is beautiful.. I think it's my favourite town in the UK. I definitely wanna go back again! A day trip isn't enough. :)

Summer love

Yesterday and today, we glimpsed a faint rainbow after a long period of storm. Thank you God.

Here's favourite Thornton's ice cream with my favourite person! :) Double scoop of strawberry, pomegranate and blueberry sorbet (new flavour)
Tres bien!

We're all really busy now because of packing. Planning to transfer our stuff tmr. Lots to blog about. Just a short update on what I've been up to midweek:

1) Ensuite rooms are full- I'm on the waiting list.

2) I've bought a Lonely Planet guidebook on Spain and travel insurance. (Dazz you don't have to bring the guidebooks!)

3) Went for Home Group last night. Cat & Andy gave us a lift. It was very good!

4) I spontaneously introduced Liz, a lovely English lady who works with the chaplaincy, to Picasa and blogging! She was looking for her pictures of Cambridge to show me, but couldn't find them on her computer. So I asked her whether she heard of Picasa- things just started from there. It culminated it me helping her set up a blog for Globe Cafe that does outreach to international students. :) It was a joy teaching her, listening to her marvel at the simplest things in technology that we all take for granted. Also, her appreciation was so genuine and heartfelt; it made me feel so valued and happy. I was even praising God, "thank You that I can meet the needs of others and contribute, in a small way, to Your work!" It's common knowledge among those who know me that I'm rather computer illiterate. James Pang my IT teacher has teased me mercilessly on the "recycle bin" story! I never thought that my rudimentary IT skills would ever be useful to someone else, more so an organisation. But God proved me wrong. He showed me that He can use my skills, however limited I think they are. And I guess it's the same for whatever I invest my time and effort in- God can use my intellect, knowledge, legal training, interpersonal skills, healthy body and maybe even basic cooking ability for His glory! :)

accomodation

i've so much time on my hands now i can finally sit and do what i love most. write.

thus the sudden spurt of long blogposts instead of the usual short ones with lots of photos. :)

i've been thinking of moving out of my studio room, into an ensuite room! the difference is tt a studio is comprehensive- it has a kitchen, toilet, study area in a bedroom, whereas an ensuite has the same things minus the kitchen, which is communal. there are really nice names for the different flats- studio flats are called redwoods, hemlocks or larches, while ensuite flats are called mulberries or laurels.

how i got the idea of staying in an ensuite room was really silly. the bf and i were out on a post-dinner walk to digest the food (mum will be proud of me! i did not sit in front of the TV/computer straight after dinner!) .he pointed out the ensuite rooms on the top floor of mulberries, which look like attics because they have windows on the slanting roof that open up to the sky. sooooo nice right!!! i saw the photo of such a room in the Broadgate Park (the student residence village where i stay) accomodation brochure and i'm in love with it. so he's been telling everyone tt i only want the ensuite room because of the window! -_-

apart from the window, the pros of staying in ensuite is that the kitchen is shared between the corridor mates, so at least there is more human interaction, as well as physical space. a studio is completely self-sufficient and therefore self-contained. my belief that it's designed for anti-social hermits who can't mix around with others or don't like doing so. the people on my corridor are very unfriendly without exception- be it the french girl next door or inconsiderate korean boys a few doors away.. i've a singaporean junior who hates his overseas experience in notts mainly because he's staying in a studio- there was once, during the exam period that he didn't see anyone at all for 3 whole weeks. poor guy, and it's his first year too. simply put, staying in a studio is extremely lonely. i've vincent, but i wanna socialise with alot more people, just like hall last year. i also want alot more physical space where i can walk around- a studio is too confining. although i loved it when i moved in, i think i need a change of environment.

as for the cons,
1. noisy
because i'll be in closer proximity to more people
mulberries is also supposedly known for its partygoers

but- discussing this with xuanee, she made a good point that redwoods can get noisy too. i totally agree. the worst thing being the rude, annoying people coming back from clubbing wayyyyyy past midnight who scream, holler and sing at the top of their voices in their drunken stupor. i feel like shooting them every time. i never knew i had this vindictive side to me. :(

2. i may get uncooperative or noisy flatmates who don't bother to wash up etc.

but- i guess i can make a special request for quiet flatmates though. or request to stay with another friend from law school.

3. i'll be further away from vincent, who is bent on continuing to stay in a studio cos he's very fussy about his kitchen.

but- that may be a good thing, because i want more personal space, which he has firmly promised to give me next year. as for meals, i can just go over to his place when i don't feel like cooking.

that's about it.


May I have your opinions please? Where should I stay next year? Studio (redwoods) or ensuite (mulberries) ?

Thanks lots! :)

home alone

the bf has at the last minute left me home alone again. tonight's the 2nd night that i cooked and ate dinner on my own. i got a shock when xuanee told me he's in london now and tt he may not be coming back for a few more days. !!! then i checked my phone and saw his messages. asking me to pray for him tt he can go back to notts tmr. london and/or bath??!! i'm confused, i've no idea where he's going. bleahhhh

so i'm very grateful for xuanee who took the initiative to go up to my room for a chat and to present me with a box of 12 krispy kremes!! :) it's really so nice and generous of her. we went out to the city later and it was fun shopping with a girl for a change. we bought colourful GAP boxers for our respective malaysian bfs and Zara kids clothes for her sis and my niece. i'm really glad that i could confide in her about the recent issues that i've been facing. it's very refreshing to hear a 3rd party perspective. something in particular which struck me was how she said "vincent is such a good guy!" "he treats u so well and loves u so much" "talk things through with him first". it's just comforting to know that ppl who know us can see for themselves his love and care for me; that i'm not harbouring any delusions about the relationship. i should be more appreciative and not so discontented. i've been really grumpy and mean to him. sometimes i wonder, why does he love me so much? why is he so sure? i really don't see myself as that special.

anyway, we had a long, serious talk last night and he told me alot of revelations which he had over the past 2 days, when he was going through alot of stress and suffering. thank you God. you really do answer prayers, in your time. i'm over the moon. so proud and happy for vincent that he's finally convicted of all the stuff i've been telling him over the past 1. 5 years!! :) he's matured so much since we first knew each other. he's been listening to my Christian music repeatedly, voraciously reading the Bible and alot of my Christian books and surprise surprise, asking me to pray and study the bible together almost every night! i would never have expected this from him. the ex bad boy. God, You are amazing, You do change and convict the mose unlikely people.

so vincent told me that he wants to:

1) be a serious christian and love God again.

2) make sure that we go to church every sunday- no excuses of waking up late or of tiredness.

3) be involved in house group (bible study) and help out in church

4) let go of his bitterness towards God. he realised instead that God has been good to him despite all the setbacks that he has faced this year! the key is not to focus on the self, but on God. it's not about us, it's about Him! and then one's perspective would be set right again.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth
Will go strangely dim
In the light of Your glory and grace"
- From a Christian song

5) he apologised repeatedly to me, for various reasons. and then he promised to give me my own space next year, as well as his encouragement for me to meet my friends and new people without tagging along. yes he's almost always the only guy whichever group of friends we hang out with! hahaha. since he has no close guy friends after jason went back, he said that he will get to know more Christian guys in church because he wants their friendship and advice! most importantly, that he will not try to do everything for me, but instead, guide me and let me learn it myself. a good example being cooking. he realised that doing so would retard my personal growth in different aspects and impede my quest towards independence, contrary to one of the main reasons i'm studying overseas.

6) work very very very hard next year and excel in his studies!


praise the Lord! to those who have been praying for him/us, thank you so much. :)


p.s while i was typing this, i received a text from xuanee, stating "vincent wants me to tell u he loves u very much :-) very rou ma". hahaha aww

Reborn bookworm

I've always been a bookworm. I was weaned on Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Carolyn Keene's (spelt correctly?)Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes and illustrated classics such as Little Women and The Count of Monte Cristo. I remember going to Popular bookstore as a 6 year old to buy my beloved Enid Blyton books that had wonderful stories which let my imagination soar. Teenage years' reading moved on to Sweet Valley (I'm ashamed), The Babysitter's Club, fantasy books for a short while and many recommended literature texts outside my syllabus such as The Silver Sword and To Kill a Mockingbird. I also had the privilege of reading many Christian books, such as "The Diary of a Teenage Girl" series, lovingly given to me by Cheh for birthdays and other special occasions.

As a child / pre-teen, I would read all day, even in the toilet, in the garden and at night in my room under the blanket with a torchlight. My mum always scolded me for reading so obsessively. My favourite haunt was the 2nd floor of Marine Parade Library, which had glass panelling and large black leather chairs and couches. I met like-minded book lovers in Secondary 1 and 2- dearest Hazel, whom I still remember said without hesitation, that her hobbies were "reading, reading, reading". But when I went into Secondary 3 & 4, I stopped reading fiction entirely. Firstly, there was simply not enough time. Schoolwork was alot heavier than lower secondary days and there was the introduction of incomprehensible Physics which tortured me to no end. I failed every test except the MCQ one. :( Secondly, the group of so-called friends I hung out with weren't inclined to reading or study at all; their attentions more focused on other more frivolous stuff. As such, I too got distracted by all sorts of stupid things. Thirdly, I had my first relationship which was a complete mess, leaving me a wreck. It is probably no surprise that I didnt do as well as expected for my O'Levels although I'd always been a top student. By God's grace however, I still managed to get into VJC. :) Fourthly, I was told that reading fiction was useless. Better to read current affairs or non-fiction, at least you'll learn something useful! Which at the time, I thought was true to a large extent. With that, my reading fiction was extinguished completely. On hindsight, so was my love for art and craft.

I finally rekindled my love of reading recently, thanks to Oxfam Books & Music, which has a shop in the small neighbourhood I live in. Over the past few months, I've bought about 10 books and given back 2. The best thing is that they stock all the bestsellers, albeit 2nd hand, at great prices ranging from 1.50 - 3.50 GBP. I'm sooo happy it's my favourite shop in Beeston after Sainsbury's.

So far, I've read, in descending order:

1. The Pianist
(Unforgettable, moving autobiography about the Holocaust set in Warsaw's Jewish ghetto . It portrays human nature at its most raw. I like the inclusion of diary extracts belonging to the Pianist's German saviour- a rare insight to his motivations and beliefs, which helps to explain his extraordinary acts of bravery and kindness. Watch the movie too!)

2. Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
(One of my fave authors! A powerful, haunting book about love, alienation, meaning, war and the supernatural. Widely regarded to be Murakami's masterpiece. I couldn't put it down. I finished it in a night and the next morning. Reading this and The Pianist has partly contributed to my melancholy mood.)

3. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
(A Ukrainian tart marries a 80+ year old Ukrainian man living in Peterborough, whose daughters are up in arms against the marriage. Most enjoyable. Very witty and funny!!)

4. The Time Traveler's Wife
(Wasn't worth the hype; I didn't really like it. Too much dialogue. The ending was touching though)

5. Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami
(Well-crafted, evocative writing. Very sad though. A constant theme in his works is the alienation and loneliness of living in an urban society)

Other unread/or half-read books on my shelf include:

6. Life of Pi

7. Fasting, Feasting

8. The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency

9. On Chesil Beach

10. God's Lavish Grace

11. Glory Days

exams over

Vincent had his last paper today, Commercial Law, which was better than expected. :) He was so worried about it.
Praise the Lord!

At the bus stop outside the University Park campus, waiting to catch the bus to town

At the fountain in Old Market Square. We took a picture here after our exams last year too! We were both in hats. Cowboy hat and jungle girl hat. :)

It was a glorious summer day when Mr Sun finally decided to make an appearance after days of rain and gloomy weather.
Many kids running around half naked playing with water! My siblings and I used to do that too, with water from the garden hose :D
We also had a small inflatable pool when my younger sis and I were toddlers. I love my childhood :)

Everybody was out enjoying the sun! People smile alot more when Mr Sun is out.

Oh we saw Burton (Dorothy Perkin's "brother" shop) doing a Mr Men series of T-shirts. Told Vincent to get "Mr Noisy" or "Mr Bump", because he chatters away all the time and gets into alot of accidents. Hehe

musings

unwillingly, i do all my serious thinking at night. which really sucks because in the day i am tired and have headaches and become the blur dreamy carol which most of u know.

yet i'm here at my computer while everyone is fast asleep at 3am, because i want to write this down. i've never been completely honest in my blog, because what i post is not limited to my family or close friends. the internet is a very public place and i don't want certain people, or people whom i don't know reading about my deepest thoughts and feelings.

having a blog is really different from having a diary because one tends to self-censor for fear that one's writings reach an unintended audience. as such, scrolling through the archives of my blog, you'll see mainly superficial, day to day posts. but i want to be more honest and go deeper.

anyway the profound insight that i've had about my own life is how i am so driven by fear of other peoples' judgments. as i was reflecting on the whole blogging issue, i realised that it's true of myself in real life too. in conversations with others, i am the listener. most of the time, i'm genuinely interested in what's going on in a person's life and i ask questions, i listen, i am concerned. and yet, i never ever seem to be able to open up to others about my struggles and fears. i am afraid of being judged. i hate to disappoint other people. alternatively, certain things are just too painful for me to bring up. alot of people think my life is perfect, or close to being so. i have a loving, well-to-d0 family, and a bright future as a lawyer ahead of me.

yet there are some painful experiences, like the crushing lows of my volleyball days or turbulent secondary 3-4 years fraught with cliques, petty fights, ostrasism, bad-mouthing, backstabbing, confrontations and heartbreak- which i have never mentioned to anyone. 5 years later, i still find it hard to tell even my boyfriend about this. how do i even begin?? i find it so hard to open up; so i bottle up my thoughts and emotions. why? i do so badly want to present to the world an image of being strong, smart and successful. yet i know this is all a front, that i suffer from lack of self-esteem, that i find it hard to fit in with my peers, that i am so fearful of what other people think of me.

there have been some breakthroughs though. i take comfort in the fact that God knows everything and that He loves me- something which i learnt in a powerful way during brighton's church camp in 2006. that's another story.

a more recent someone (other than my family) for whom i feel tremendously blessed is my boyfriend. between us, it has always been him loving me more than i love him. perhaps a 40-60 or even 30-70 balance? (i feel guilty about this sometimes.) knowing and constantly being assured, through his actions and words that he loves me so deeply, enables me to share with him openly without any fear of being judged. also, the fact that he knows nothing about my pre-notts self requires me to talk at length about my past. he's a great listener. :) talking to him has brought back alot of long-forgotten memories. like how, as a child, i loved to open the refrigerator and pop a precious lump of rock sugar into my mouth. :D i don't mind him calling me "sugar monster" and telling my friends that i'm a "sugar monster" though. haha

but i know he's not enough. so to all my close friends and family, i apologise for being emotionally distant and only talking about superficial things. i don't do it intentionally and i am still learning to speak up about things which affect me. i hope that this post has enabled you to connect more emotionally to me.

Motivation

Nothing in this world that's worth having comes easy.
- A note stuck on my noticeboard from Vincent


Just one more day to go..

Exam update

European Union law was HORRIBLE.
I've never sat for a paper which went so badly before.. :( I didn't sleep the entire night before because I just couldn't- too anxious and worried. Writing the 18 page legal research essay already left me exhausted. The paper itself was bad. Unexpected, took a different turn from all the previous years' exams.
It has completely killed off any interest in EU-related 3rd year modules. Like the European Convention of Human Rights. I'll stick to stuff I understand, however boring.

The trauma of EU has at least taught me a lesson- I've always managed to get away with last minute work. But it didn't work this time. Tough lesson, but one valued. What a waste, this year's academic performance started off so well for me. Next year, to make up for my dismal performance this semester, I will aim for all 1st class grades.

Criminal law went better than expected though, I was well-prepared. The only thing is that I didn't finish the last question!!!! SAD :( It's always a question of which to sacrifice- detail, or breadth. 45 minutes each for 4 essays is way too demanding. Oh, and last night, while revising, there was a sharp, acute pain in my right forearm that lasted throughout the night. Vincent quickly whipped out frozen sausages from the freezer, wrapped them in a towel and put them on my arm. Haha. He always knows what to do. Thankfully the pain was gone this morning..

Sorry these posts are so boring.. But I'm sure they'll be of interest to aspiring law students like my sister! Heheee :)

Next up: Land law. There is reasonable foresight (objective test), or shall I say virtual certainty (Woollin test) of it being a challenging exam. Grimace..

I can't believe that we'll never have to touch Criminal Law or EU law again... The brevity of it all! I actually did enjoy Criminal law alot, plus I have a really nice Greek tutor.

Can't wait for the exams to be over!!!

Summer catalogue

Summer #1 I support GAP clothes and accessories

Summer #2 Say hello to a Korean concubine with huge floral headgear.

Summer #3 Rachel, aged 5. A natural!

Summer #4 Tired look after Garden Party.

Perfect summer days

I sneakily took this shot through the trees because there were neighbours watching. This crazy angmoh was sprawled out on a public patch of grass for all the world to see, basking in the sun. Not an uncommon sight here I must say..

We attended Cat's garden party celebration. I love the comfy swings! :-)

Meet Ivy, a Taiwanese Master's student and Cat, the birthday girl. I like them both very much- Soft-spoken and gentle.
I found a new travel companion in Ivy :) I first met her during Pancake Day, again at Cat's house. we're going to somewhere in the UK after the exams. Maybe the Lake District?
Cat is the most thoughtful person I know here; she's always trying to involve me in things by inviting me over or asking me out. Really blessed to know her!

I'm here with Yolanda, from Hong Kong. She's really fun and outgoing! She loves chocolate and travelling too! We were roommates during New Word Alive in Wales. Together we braved the freezing nights wrapped up in our down jackets.. haha. Too bad she's an exchange student who's going back soon. Oh yes, she reminds me alot of Maumau... hehe

Right, EU Law exam on Tuesday, Criminal Law on Thursday... Please pray for me ok! It'll be over in 2 weeks time!!!!!!!

Down

I was feeling extremely discouraged about my Legal Research Essay just now, because I cannot seem to focus and compile all my research into an essay. The essay is about the rules of intoxication in Criminal Law and the deadline is on Tuesday, 6 may. I keep getting distracted whenever I'm stuck- end up doing other things which make me even more tired. It's a mental block of fear and "I can't"; which has been building up since the Easter holidays when I was trying to get the essay done.

But I'm feeling alot better now- After Vincent gave me a head and neck massage, made me hot cholocate and is now going to make me a nutella sandwich. Most importantly, I asked him to pray for me and then I prayed myself too. :) I asked God to take away the mental obstacles that I faced and that I am giving Him my fear and worries. Also that the results are in His hands, I will just do what needs to be done. Reminded myself of this truth which Cheh used to write in her encouragement cards to me over the years "For God has not given me a spririt of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and self-control". I pinned it up on my noticeboard and put it up on my blog; partly because I was reading about how publicly performed behaviour influences and validates self-conception in my Psychology text. And of course, as a reminder of God's truth!

Also on my noticeboard is a poem from Daddy dated 31 October 1999- The last stanza reads

"Look down when up
And up when down
The one and only
He is up, There".

Springtime

Cherry blossoms and daffodils near Hallward Library

Cherry blossoms in Broadgate Park, where I stay. :)

I only thought cherry blossoms could be found in Japan, but I am so wrong! There are sooo many cherry blossom trees here; there's even a place called Cherry Tree Hill on my campus. I love cherry blossoms; their ephemeral quality gives them a fragile, fleeting beauty.

Ok back to the books.....

continuation from the last post

Being on the redbubble homepage twice has generated 976 views, 124 comments and 86 favouritings. To see the special photo, click here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/jebus/art/1052062-1-mother-and-child

Anyway, I received another internship offer from Allen & Gledhill! I'll be interning in the corporate department from 11 Aug- 29 Aug. As for WongPartnership, I'll be an intern there in July. So, 5 weeks of internship in 2 top firms!! :) Looks like I can afford to buy a new camera already.. Probably a Fujifilm one that will help my shaky hands. And start taking lessons from the pro!

Alright, 2 weeks to the exams!!
Focus!

cute kitten

Congratulations to Vincent! Another photo that he took of this adorable newborn kitten is featured on the homepage of www.redbubble.com.
Do check it out!
It'll make a perfect mothers' day card/poster. :)

brighten my day

Recently, I've been baking alot. Perhaps to dispel some pre-exam stress?
Above: cornflakes, walnut and oat cookies. Below: Vincent's 2nd attempt at making a heart-shaped cookie. :)

Anyway, the exams are in 3 weeks time.

13 May: European Union Law

16 May: Criminal Law

22 May: Land Law

24 May: Individual in Society (Psychology)

Please keep me and Vincent in prayer! :) Thank you.

We went to the city centre today to indulge; it'll probably be the last time until the exams are over.
Ate dimsum at Manho to make me happy.. hehe and then it was shopping time! I can't comprehend why there's a GAP sale everytime we go to the city. They just want to make me spend money!!! I bought a navy blue hoodie and a formal white shirt for internship. I especially LOVE the hoodie!!!! It's so soft and the colour is so nice. :) The Body Shop was having a sale too and I got 6 GBP off my purchases. Then we headed down to M&S for grocery shopping.. Really, M&S food is exceptional. Bought Aberdeen & Angus beef mince, among others, for the shepherd's pie tonight which turned out very well, thanks to Peach. And a colourful striped mug and plate (also on sale) from Whittard. So that was major retail theraphy to keep me going!

Reflections

Initially, I wasn't looking forward to going to New Word Alive at all. But I'm soooo glad I did... :)

There were so many wonderful things about the conference that I really don't know where to begin.

1. Teaching
Renowned speakers such as John Piper, Terry Virgo and Don Carson preached at the conference. It was really solid, mind-engaging teaching. Some of the topics were controversial, such as suffering, but the speakers really helped to clarify issues and best of all, based everything they taught on a careful study of the Bible. It was just sooooooo good. The Bible Overview series every morning was excellent too; really helpful.

2. Location
Beautiful, scenic place surrounded by the mountains of Snowdonia.. It was a very relaxing break. :)

3. People
-God has really blessed me through my caravan mates.
-Cat did a great job in organising the trip for international students from Nottingham; we didn't have to worry about accomodation, food or admin matters at all. Whereas the Singaporean students from London had to arrange those things themselves, which was a real hassle!
-Also, the presence of 4000 Christians at the conference was very encouraging to me, that there were so many others of the same faith, trying to live a godly life. Previously I'd been feeling very alone and defeated, due to various reasons such as lack of Christian peers, pressure from school, lapse in spending time with God, very worldly surroundings and mindsets etc.. But now I feel free to delight in God's word and worship again. Also, I've started reading this book "Glory Days" which Vincent bought for me at the bookstore there and it helped to change my perspective! :)

New Word Alive 2008

More than a conqueror in Christ!

Ever the thrill seeker, he go-karted twice in a row!!! Haha he was sooo high after that.

Caravan-mates (minus Yolanda). From left: me, Vincent, Liz, Chye Fong and Cat. Vincent, as always, is with the girls, even though he was supposed to be in the boys' caravan! But I'm glad he joined me though. It was really a blessing to be able to stay and interact with such a group of sincere, caring and matured Christians. We had a very good time together and I learned alot from them too. :)

Caravan 59, Snowdonia View!

Snowdonia

Pwhelli, Wales


I was so excited to see the sea after 6 months! It was just a 2 minute walk from the conference site.

The amazing multi-coloured pebbles that filled an entire beach! Vincent and I had a very good time hunting for the most special pebbles to bring home.

Low tide. The sun finally came out! It rained intermittently all week in Wales.

Midway point on the trek to the farthest stretch of sea cliffs. We went there 3 days in a row!

I'm back from New Word Alive!

It was excellent!!!! :)

Getaway

We're going to Wales tomorrow for New Word Alive. There's a couple from church who'll be driving us there!

Anyway, the conference is from 7-11 April, in Hafan y Mor Holiday Park, Pwllheli, North Wales. Accomodation will be in caravans :)

I'm really excited! It'll be a nice refreshing change to get out of Nottingham. Smell the fresh air, go for walks on the hills, watch sheep etc.

Will be taking my Psychology and Criminal Law books though..

My revision process is plagued by inertia. Have started but just can't focus! So slow; where is my sense of urgency...

The relevance of Psychology

Finally, something I'm learning seems to be immediately applicable and impactful on my daily life.

I'm revising for my Psychology module and I found this topic on Nature VS Nature useful and illuminating. Excerpts from "The Psychology of Childhood" are summarised below.

With regard to the role of nurture in particular (since we can't change our genetically endowed intelligence), researchers have asked whether an enriched environment gives rise to higher IQ.

Diet and nutrition
Benton & Roberts have found that giving vitamin supplementation increases the IQ of the recipient children dramatically. However, their provocative findings were not replicated in another study. Benton explained the discrepancies in the findings by suggesting that additional vitamins will be redundant in improving a child's IQ score if the child's diet is adequate
in terms of vitamin content. In contrast, if the child has a vitamin deficient diet, this could prevent her brain from operating to its full potential.

The lesson to be learnt is that a healthy diet is vital to mental functioning.
An inadequate diet puts one at a distinct disadvantage!

After reading this, I went oh my goodness, I'd better put in more effort at eating a healthy and balanced diet! More fruits and veggies, as well as a faithful daily consumption of the cocktail of vitamins Mum has entrusted me with: DHA, Chorella, Wheatgrass, Vitamin C etc etc etc. Better force Vincent to take his vitamins too!

Social and psychological factors
According to Elardo et al, factors which they believe to contribute to an enriched environment are as follows:
1) Mother's voice conveys positive feeling when speaking to child.
2) Mother structures child's play periods.
3) Mother reads stories at least 3 times weekly
4) Age-appropriate learning equipment is provided for child.
5) Child gets out of house at least 4 times a week.
etc

This would be so relevant for Cheh. :)

After reading this I told that I cannot be cooped up in my room all day anymore! Must go out to breathe in the fresh air, admire the daffodils etc.

I'm feeling quite proud of myself today cos I exercised: skipping, crunches and weights. ;)

Ok I'm going off to cut an orange.

It's the first day of a new month.. April!

Time to get serious and work hard! FOCUS

All the best everyone who has exams and coursework deadlines coming up!

Thanks for all the encouragement dear friends :)

We can do it!

new hairstyle

At Cafe Uno, which had a very cosy Italian atmosphere. Unfortunately the food was disappointing so we adjourned to Pitcher & Piano for the delicious brownie and chocolate cocktail! :)

I like my hair now- it's alot thinner and lighter... Haha. This shot is for Mummy who wants to see my new hairstyle!

Anyway, Spring is beautiful but I haven't really got the chance to truly enjoy it yet. I'm really worried about the upcoming exams, in a month and a half's time. Also I've got this 18 page legal research essay about criminal law which is giving me a BIG headache. I spent about a week just contemplating its structure. And I've got a week left to write it. Terribly worried to the point that I'm not sleeping well at night. :( Please send me your support!!

Flat 14/14, Redwoods

Finally, some photos of my room! I'll be staying here again next year :)

catcat

I realise I've difficulty remembering the day-to-day events of my uni life as I haven't been journalling. Hence I shall attempt to blog more. There isn't really anything exciting to blog about though.

Went to the library today in a bid to start my 18 page legal research essay on intoxication.
So many Brits were there too; why didn't they just go home?!! If I could I would go home too. :(
Anyway, it's such a difficult question. I'm clueless as to its structure.
Would I advice anyone to do law? Only if they're smart, analytical, disciplined and able to work really really hard. Of late I have been extremely distracted, slow and unmotivated when it comes to studies. It's terrible how I waste sooo much time doing nothing. I've got to stop this sluggish attitude!

Sigh so much work to do even during the holidays. :( How to enjoy?
On the bright side, V and I have been watching movies almost every night during dinner. Last night we cooked yong tao foo ourselves!!! :D Cool right? Watched 200 Pounds Beauty as we ate. I've got a sudden craze for Korean movies; we've watched My Sassy Girl and Windstruck again.
Jun Ji Hyun is soooooo pretty.

Beef balls
I was whining how Vincent always got to do the fun stuff like making the beef balls while I, as the designated washer-woman always had to fulfil my washing duties and chopping. So this crazy boy mized up ALL the nicely done balls into a huge lump and told me that I could make it again! At first I was really mad at him but when I started moulding the beef into balls I couldn't help but smile. Unconventional, certainly not practical but he loves me all the same.

Taking over the dishes. Heh heh!

Steamed minced prawn on tofu! :)

The Japanese cat keychain which he bought for me on Sunday. I told him I had a cat pouch exactly like this, but the cat dropped out of the pouch, so he secretly bought it and slipped it into my shopping bag!! I didn't even know. tsk tsk tsk. Now it hangs proudly on my notice-board, a cute and cheerful reminder to study hard! :) Sunday outing to the city was really fun, we went shopping at GAP (sale again!) where I got sneakers for 5pounds, a whopping one-seventh of its original price and a striped formal shirt at half price (15pounds). He got jeans and my sneakers, paid by his 25pound birthday gift voucher from the girls. We went for sushi buffet at Skinny Sumo :) Vincent will be frying teppanyaki there in 2 weeks time! Haha! He's teaching A level law tuition as I type this. What an industrious boy. I'm proud of him!